From the Back of the Classroom
by I am Meagan
Summary: It is odd how you never seem to notice the people in the back of the classroom until one year your simply notice them. Kagome Higurashi has entered her freshman year in high school--and is desperately wishing to return to Junior High where no one knew her
1. World of Popularity

**Hello, everyone. My name is Meagan but you may call me Me-chan if you wish. I have for you a fanfic that was started a long while ago, like in two-thousand-six, but never finished. I thanks those that have already reviewed.**

**A/N: I will never own any part of the InuYasha story line...Darn for me, Eh? **

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It's weird how you never seem to notice the person at the back of the classroom. The young boy who keeps to himself, the weird girl who glares at everyone that passes by, and even the smart girl with the glasses who always raises her hand but is never called. Year after year they end up in your class, always overlooked by their peers, and until one year you simply—notice them.

Kagome Higurashi was one of those said people. Anyone looking at her could tell she was very plain, had no special qualities, and, though she didn't like company, craved for it in the back of her mind. Her chocolate brown eyes caught the attention of no one and the only time anyone saw her name was when it appeared at the very middle of the list in class rankings and on the classroom roll list. In that sense, the only ones to really notice Kagome Higurashi were the teachers, and they had to because of force.

Today was currently the first day of High School. Over the break, a lot of things had happened and a lot of things have changed. It was often noticed how much different a person could look from the end of Junior High to the beginning of High School like a secret rule everyone had to follow. Kagome was no exception to this rule although she soon rather wished she was.

The moment she stepped into the classroom on that very first day it became the day she would forever be abducted into a world totally new and strange to her. This was a world of which she had always been on the outside, had heard but had never seen up close. And, most certainly, Kagome Higurashi had never, ever, been absorbed into it until this very day.

It was the world of Popularity, the world of attention.

Yes, Kagome found it indeed strange that she found herself the attention of more than two pairs of eyes when her covered feet lightly tapped the floor of the classroom. The skirt of her uniform was halfway to her knees and even then, as she looked down, she didn't think it was long enough. She was in a state of confusion. People suddenly knew her name or, if they didn't, asked of it from a classmate who had been in too many of her classes to count.

And she was wondering why after so many years so many eyes were following her on her trip to the back of the classroom.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form


	2. Twins

"Your hair is so pretty, Kagome! You must let me do your hair one of these days. Trust me, after I am done with it, it will be absolutely beautiful." Ritsuki exclaimed, standing behind Kagome as she combed the girl's hair with her fingers. Kagome winced and Ritsuki promised to be a little more gentle. Unfortunately for Ritsuki, the cause was not because of a snag, a knot, or pulling too hard. No, Kagome had winced because the attention that the ever-so hyper Ritsuki was giving her was simply painful for her to bear.

The mind is a mysterious thing for someone to have. It cries with you, learns with, explores with you, and takes pain with you. As you teach it things it returns the favor by giving you some of your most important lessons...the ones that can only be learning by life. You do you best to shield it and yourself from the harsh truths of which you would much rather go on knowing. Unfortunately there are forces out there that want to destroy your mind, your best friend. They want this obstacle gone from you so that they can creep in and mess with everything you hold dear. A force that pushes against every lesson you have ever learned and right now an important lesson was being challenged.

_Don't let them close, they will hurt you or don't care enough about you._

To this day, Kagome still was not sure if this lesson was meant for mental or physical purposes. All she knew that Ritsuki, who had never known her name before, was standing behind her and messing with the hair she herself had spent thirty minutes making it straight and a little less poofy. The eyes, she noticed dully, had not stopped looking at her, trailing her movements. Silently she could here the whispers.

'_She has changed a lot…I wonder what happened over the break! I am curious to know.'_

'_Dude, look at Kagome. I wonder why I never noticed her before; she is totally hot!'_

'_I wonder why Kagome is sitting in the back. This is the first time I have seen her in my class before.'_

Of course, the person whispering the last one didn't realize that Kagome has been in all her classes since elementary school, but had never taken the time to turn her head to face the back. Kagome placed her white knuckles under the desk as she closed her eyes in a failing attempt to shut out the whispers. What did happen to her over the break? As far as she knew there had not been anything new in her life. She had left Junior High and had entered High School more or less the same. Maybe a little bit heavier in the chest and a tad bit thinner, but otherwise she was the same Kagome Higurashi she had been when she last saw the majority of her peers. How was one supposed to react to this? It wasn't something that her mind had taught her in one of its joyful lessons.

"Sure, Ritsuki. You can do my hair whenever you see is fit to do it," Kagome told the girl, who was still behind her. More students had come into the room and, during their scan of the classroom, had lingered on her a second longer than normal. They put on a sort of confused, dawning look before giving her a smile secretly and going to chat with their friends. Kagome wasn't paying too much attention to who was coming into the room but rather who was already there. Two siblings, Sesshoumaru and InuYasha, kept glancing her way. The sneers on their faces made her squirm in her seat as the teacher entered the room and took his seat. A glare was all that was needed for the other students (including Ritsuki) to start the scramble for their top choice in seating. Only after everyone was situated snuggly in their seats paying false attention to the teacher, did the bell finally ring and the teacher rose from his desk, giving his new class a hard look.

"Welcome to your first year of High School. Although I can't say that I don't like teaching, I can't say that teaching a bunch of adolescent brats was my first choice for a job. I am a fair guy and will allow you keep your current seats. You will not be changing so I hope you chose wisely. Welcome, class, to Honors Social Studies. I am your teacher, Mr. Takanaki. To start off your high school career, I am going to give you a pop quiz. This will be graded and will be worth a lot of points. In other words the grade counts. Please note that my tests and quizzes are rather difficult and not many manage to pass them. So with this said and done, good luck and gods speed," the teacher, identified as Mr. Takanaki, introduced, passing out the pop quiz as he talked in a stern voice. It was clear to a retarded person that Mr. Takanaki did not like his job at all and would be sure to let the entire class know of it before the year was over.

Kagome could not help but glance at the clock as the final, crisp-white sheet slid onto her desk. They had forty-five minutes of class time left before homeroom ended and she would be on her way to Algebra II. Inwardly, she groaned as her eyes barely paid attention as they read the question pertaining to World War One and the Inner Alliances. Unfortunately for her, your homeroom class tended to follow you to your other classes. She didn't know what made it that way, just that it was another secret rule.

Out of the corner of her eye, she was unable to ignore the stares she was getting from the Youkai siblings and grimaced. Sesshoumaru and InuYasha Youkai were twin brothers who had trailed her through her school career. Always the ones to tease and start fights (usually with each other), it wasn't until middle school that the separate personalities started to surface for all the others to see. Sesshoumaru was the more serious of the twins, the one always at or near the top of the class. His long silver hair trailed thinly down his back and literally glowed in the moonlight. InuYasha, on the other hand was loud and obnoxious. His name was always at the very end of the list of class rankings. His white, almost silver hair had more volume than his brother (who was older by a few mere seconds) and his golden eyes held a certain sheen that was not seen in Sesshoumaru. These two twin boys had been a major crush of every girl they had encountered with; Kagome being no exception although she far from crushed on them anymore.

Sadly, she could not help but think that it was boys like them that had made Kagome unable to eat hotdogs ever again. Eyes scanning the paper on last time and mechanical pencil in hand, Kagome began her quiz.

"Heeeyyyy, Kagome," a voice spoke softly and sweetly—the voice that only appears when the individual speaking wants something. In their journey to meet said individual, her brown eyes widened as she recognized Sesshoumaru. The sneer still plastered on his face from three periods before, he gingerly drew a seat up to her desk. It was currently third period, the period of which the entire school had their thirty minute lunch break inside the classroom. That wonderful period, however, would have to wait for third period to actually be _over_. Last period had left her silently relieved that she had had her next classes with neither InuYasha nor Sesshoumaru, even Ritsuki for that matter. Unfortunately she had just about everybody else, but she didn't pay attention to them. In homeroom, Ritsuki paid her too much attention and the Youkai twins could not stop sneering at her—almost leering but in a hidden, cynical way.

"Is there something that I can help you with, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked innocently. She was trying to make her voice have that slight hint of annoyance that usually cued someone the speaker wished to be left alone, but it didn't come out right. It sounded too kind hearted and innocent and the only thing it resulted was a widened smirk. The elder twin was claimed the desk right beside her as his permanent seat while she tried her best to ignore him. Taking one of his long hands, he trailed the outside of her face with the tips of his fingers. He got the effect he was looking for, his smirk widening as he watched her shiver heavily at his unexpected touch.

"Who said I wanted anything, Kagome? Who is it that says I want anything other than to sit right here, to be next to you?" Sesshoumaru asked of her, pulling a mock confused, almost hurt look. Kagome wanted to bang her head on the table at this remark. Most girls would have already melted into a puddle, especially if they did what Kagome was doing and looked at him directly into his golden, amber eyes. Totally sexy most might call him. Unfortunately for Sesshoumaru, Kagome did not dive in immediately when it came to theatrics. This meant that she was one of the few that would not melt into a puddle at his mere voice or a glance into his eyes. Was this not the first year he had known she existed? That meant that he was either up to something or wanted the only thing a hormonal teenage boy would want. Which ever one it was he was not going to get; at least, not from her anyway.

"No one ever said such a thing, Sesshoumaru. Then again isn't it always said that actions speak louder than words?" Kagome questioned, trying to force a smirk on her lips as she did so only to have it fail miserable. She needed to work on her facial expressions. Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow and gave her what seemed to be a genuine, confused look. He must have caught on that she wasn't a puddle at his feet yet, just waiting for him to splash into her. That she would keep her ground when it came to her morals. No, Sesshoumaru quickly cued into the fact that Kagome, however dazed at being thrust into this new world as she may be, was not easy and was, in fact, rather hard. For a minute his smile faltered before it was soon restored.

"And what about you, Kagome? You're always at the back of the classroom for some odd reason. And not just the back but as far back as you can go; a place where you cannot be seen by most members and perhaps even the teacher. You know what that yells at me, Kagome? It tells me that you are insecure about something. Did something _happen_? Are you hiding something that you don't want anyone to know? You have no need to worry; your secret is safe with me," Sesshoumaru spoke, in a seductive tone that made her almost lose her serious face.

Kagome stared at him in disbelief. How had he done that? Just read her right on like that with no effort at all? Did he _know _anything? Or was it that he was just teasing her? Questions such as this flowed through her head as she had trouble speaking to the expectant boy in front of her. More students were tuning into their conversation, some pretending not to and others turning around in their chairs.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Sesshoumaru. Perhaps it is you that is hiding something," Kagome countered, looking at him before switching her gaze to the teacher coming in. Sesshoumaru was forced to pay some amount of attention as the teacher, Mrs. Kanaki, began to talk to the class about the material that would be done in this class. Inwardly, Kagome smirked but she had failed not to see the curious look she had left in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

'Great, I'll never get peace now,' she groaned, once again resisting the urge to bang her head on the table.

"Hello class, we are going to have a wonderful time in English IV. I hope that you have come here with happy, strong minds and your hearts set on learning because this course will not be easy. No sir, it will not be and there is a high chance that most of you shall fail because of my super hard tests. I hope that in the time that we do spend with each other, though, that we will make great friends." Mrs. Kanaki told the class in a cheery voice. Kagome cringed. The voice was too cheery for the words that the teacher was speaking which made her wonder...

What kind of teachers did this school hire?


	3. False Apologies and Advantages

Though it had hardly occurred to Kagome at the time, it was surely occurring to her now

Though it had hardly occurred to Kagome at the time, it was surely occurring to her now. The period she had with the crazy teacher with the too cheery voice was also her lunch period. This meant that, when she had wanted to be free of the Youkai twins as she ate her homemade meal, she couldn't. Not that she would have been completely alone anyways. Many kids from the next door classrooms came over to talk to their friends; some of them came from other classrooms to look at who had caught the eyes of so many this morning. They ranged from playboys to scoffing nerds to curious rejects to seething girls jealous at the sudden attention she was getting; especially from Sesshoumaru and InuYasha.

Kagome did not look at the jealous girls. Personally she wanted to tell them that if they wanted to Youkai twins' attention, then they could have it. Gods knew how much she didn't want it. Both of them had used her desk to set their lunches on without asking her and tried to come up with questions for her.

"What's your favorite color?" Sesshoumaru would ask.

"None of your business," she would reply.

"What about your favorite things?" InuYasha would take his turn.

"Why should I tell you?" Kagome would answer.

"Have you ever been laid?" they both would ask in unison. Looking up from her lunch just as a piece of rice was going to enter her mouth, Kagome took on a surprised expression before glaring at them.

"No," she answered simply, obviously annoyed that they would ask her such a question although something like anger sparked behind her eyes. The only reason why she had given an answer was because if she hadn't they'd make up their conclusions—and what kind of conclusions would that be she was scared to find out. It was clear that she was getting annoyed with their company. One was enough for her to handle but put them together and they might as well have a triplet. Sighing to herself, she cocked an eye at the now silent Youkai twins. InuYasha gave her a wink before he took up his lunch and went back to his own classroom. This left her once again with Sesshoumaru. His eyes were looking at the table and he was thinking. About what she had no idea and didn't care. There was something, however, she did care about.

"Are you going to apologize?" she asked him, poking him in the shoulder with the clean end of her chopsticks. This took him out of his stupor as he gave her a confused look.

"Apologize…?" he repeated, not sure what she meant. Kagome pointed to his lunch on her desk.

"For two things actually. The first would be the invasion of my desk with InuYasha's and your lunch and the second one would be for asking that obscene question. You don't know me, Sesshoumaru. You have noticed me only this year out of all the years I have been in your class. Sesshoumaru…you don't interest me simply because I might as well have been the gum beneath your shoe just yesterday. Not that I minded really…seeing as how many girl's hearts you've broken since Junior High. Though you're an interesting person, you aren't my friend and therefore you have no right to eat at my desk or ask me such questions," Kagome explained, placing her chopsticks across the tray that kept her food. Sesshoumaru took on a sort of shocked tone. She could understand why.

He was taller than most Japanese guys and had a much better body than the majority of her peers. His smile was enough to make even older woman interested in him. His eyes had a depth of maturity that most high school boys have not yet reached and he had a way of making even his immature actions seem mature. The words that she had spoken sounded much like the words of rejection—something that Sesshoumaru had probably never experienced before.

Without a word, the boy took on a smirk, leaned forward, and caught Kagome's lips. She backed away immediately, staring at him with a surprise and shocked expression. He just kept on smiling evilly until the bell rang for them to end lunch and go back to their studies. With Sesshoumaru next to her, all Kagome could wonder was why her.

"I always do what the hell I want regardless of what the other person wants," he replied simply. Kagome's knuckles were white from clutching the desk too hard. Force it down, force it down, she thought, closing her eyes as she fought back both a scream and a blush. You could fry an egg on her face, informing her that she had failed the latter of her goals. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"So, you're not even going to say sorry?"

"Why should I? You liked it, come on, Kagome," he mused, taking a strand of her hair and twirling it in between his fingers. The strands were pulled from his grip as Kagome moved her hand, glaring at him. Her newfound confidence surprised her—or maybe she was just angry.

"Go. Away," she hissed. Sesshoumaru stayed where he was, taking a sip from his C. C. Lemon soda, elbow propping up his head. Exasperated and utterly defeated, Kagome collapsed onto her desk, tossing her lunch to a nearby trashcan and burying her head in her arms. Sesshoumaru chuckled idly. Kagome cursed him to the depths of Hell. He was playing a game with her. Lightly, she lifted herself to an upright position.

"I refuse to be the mouse to your cat."

"Frankly, you don't have much of a choice."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because, my dear, I hold all the cards."

"I'm not your dear. I'm not your _anything,_" she spat, looking at him, head up and close to him. Her response was his hands on either side of his head and another stolen kiss. Kagome could not help it, she melted. Yes, like a popsicle on a very hot afternoon. Roughly, she pushed him away, the blush equaling fire on her face. Kagome was standing, her chair thrown back about half a meter by the mere momentum of her stand.

"Please stop doing that!" she shouted at him, getting the full attention of everyone in the room. Sesshoumaru looked at her, slightly confused.

"Why?"

"Stop playing with me! I'm not like that. It has to mean something more than just a game. You can't just take without permission. You can't just take advantage of me. I don't want to be taken advantage of! Not again!"

With that, she exited the room, going to the only place within the school that actually offered something peaceful. It was the library, where hundreds of books lay. Sneaking in through the doors unnoticed by the librarian, Kagome went to the very back and rested in a corner. This particular section held all of her favorites. Her finger reached out, touching a volume of Ghost Hunt. She had been surprised when the book had been made into a manga. Kagome followed both but the books were always close to her heart. Picking up the first one, she flipped to her favorite part and began to read. In the distance of reality, the bell rang.

"Mm, I wonder if she is ok," Sesshoumaru mused to himself in the living room of his home. InuYasha looked at him, one arm around the shoulders of a random girl in the school, the other up her inner thigh.

"Why do you care? She's fine. Man, though, is she good to play with. I wonder how she is in bed," he grinned before turning his attentions to the girl who was demanding his attention. Sesshoumaru grimaced at his brother's immaturity but said nothing of it. Instead, he retired to his room, where his schoolwork awaited him.

As it turned out, not all of the teachers were crazy. Some of them were rather nice, as they chose not to give homework on the first day. One of them was just plain horrible, giving them classwork and then slinking off to his desk where he stayed, talking to none of his pupils, for the rest of the period. Kagome did not come back until the end of fourth period, a book clutched in her hand as if it was her lifeline. Even now, her words rung in his ears. He had not dared talk to her for the rest of the day. She was making him look bad.

After an hour of studying, Sesshoumaru exited his house. It was about nine-o-clock and he should be going to bed soon. Well, he might have had he ever went to bed before one in the morning. Still, the night was his time, his time to be alone. Walking through the streets, he relaxed, sipping more of his newly acquired C.C. Lemon after putting one-hundred twenty yen into the nearest drink machine. After a while, he came up to his usual turnaround point, about ten minutes from his house. In a moment of spontaneity, he decided to go farther than usual and continued walking. Besides, his brother would still be making a ruckus with Sochiro. Poor girl, he thought, knowing full and well that his brother would not so much as notice her the following morning. That aspect Kagome had guessed correctly. Sesshoumaru had laid with some woman but not nearly as much as his sex-crazed twin brother. It was a wonder they were just freshman in high school.

A creaking reached his years, and his eyes swiveled around to see a girl swinging on a swing. She was in high school, it seemed, and she was out late. Not that it was unsafe—this was one of the safest places in all of Japan, but honestly, who would swing in the middle of night? Upon closer inspection, it turns out Kagome would. Slowly, he walked behind her, giving her a slight push.

She screamed in surprise, jumping from the plaything and landing awkwardly on her feet. Her hands crept to her right ankle, rubbing it and massaging it. She glared at him, before gingerly standing. Kagome took a few steps back, careful not to put weight on the sprained ankle.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru? Don't tell me, you're stalking me, right? Want to steal more kisses or play with my mind again. If so then go away before I scream stalker and ra—rapist."

"I'm not here for that, Higurashi. Calm the heck down," Sesshoumaru growled. Rapist? Ha! He would never do such a thing to a girl. Anyone who did was completely sick and deserved to be killed. "In reality, I was just taking a walk and happened upon you."

"Oh," she mumbled, a blush creeping up to her face. The girl brushed past him, going back to the swing. He noted that she wasn't wearing her uniform but instead a Kagrra, band t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Even he had to admit that it was a warm day for April. Her feet were clad in nothing.

"What are you still doing here, then? Why don't you continue on your way?" she asked, going higher and higher. He shrugged, sitting on the next swing. Amber eyes passed over her for a few moments.

"I want to tell you something," he said. Kagome slowed, looking at him.

"Get on with it, then."

"I'm sorry."

Her stopping was almost abrupt, as was her stare. Her mouth opened, closed, and opened again. He smirked, his usual façade at school returned and in full swing. In the end, she growled, thinking that this was just something to get a reaction out of her. It was—then again it wasn't.

"Why don't you go away?" she asked him, her body away from his. He growled under his breath—why was she being so damn difficult? Everyone else was so damn easy! The challenge erupted through him and he gladly took it with his teeth.

"I want to be your friend, Kagome. Real friend."


End file.
